Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-12-16
METHODS OF REFORM SCHOOLS.
The Means of Amendment-What Stats.
tics Indi cate--Conyersatinn

Inc Means OF Amendment-N nat Stats.
tics Indi cate--Conversation.
In the United States are about seventy
institutions designed for the reformation
of young offenders. Their inmates num-
Der more than 5000 boys and girls. The
causes of commitment embrace nearly
every offense, from petty larceny to man
slaughter. The means of amendment
employed include not only the removal
of the offender from the opportunity of
indulging his criminal tastes but also the
teaching of some trade. instruction in the
elementary branches of knowledge. and
endeavor to form an upright character.
Concerning the success of the reform
school in the reformation of those in
trusted to it. there is room for two con-
trary opinions. In an examination of
the convicts of the prisons of New York,
which was ordered by the Prison associa-
ton of the state in 1915. it was found
that of the inmates of the Sing Sing peni-
Tertiary. 22.31 per cent had been re
fuge" boys. AS the usual number of the
inmates of the reformatories of New York
exceeds 5000. it is plain that the large
proportion of them do not become in
mates of prisons within the state.
AS to the reforms accomplished, esti-
mates vary from 60 per cent. to IS. But
in these percentages are included many
children who without being vicious. but
exposed and homeless. are received into
houses of refuge. The proportion. there
FORE of those who have served in reform
schools who are afterward convicted Of
crimes is small. not exceeding 80 or 40
per cent Yet statistics indicate that the
influence of these schools in impressing
evil habits upon a certain class of their
boys is exceedingly strong. OF the % 81
per cent. of the Sing Sing convicts ex-
amined who had been in these schools,
9s per cent.-fifty out of fifty-two-
We're habitual criminals. Some light is
thrown upon the methods by which the
reform school helps to fix the habit Of
criminality by the following conversation
between a convict at Sing Sing and an
examiner:
PLEASE. sir may I ask you a ques-
tom" asks the convict
Certainly. is the examiners reply.
"Why do they send boys to the house
of refugee
Il suppose it is to teach them to be bet
ter boys
That's a great mistake. for they get
worse.
How should that beg
Il wouldn't be here only was sent to
the refuge.
What did you learn there that should
have caused YOU to be sent here"
Il didn't know how to pick pockets
before | went, and | didn't know no
fences: that's where you sell what you
steal. you know
What else did you learn in the way
of thieving:"
Il learned how to put up job in
burglary.
Another inmate-who at the age Of :
stole fruit. and was sent to a reform
school at Albany for nine months: at $.
was found guilty of petit larceny, and
sent to the house of refuge: at -. was
committed to juvenile asylum. and es-
capped three times in four days and three
other times before reaching his majority
wa. sentenced to reformatories. and who
between the ages of p and II had been
committed to prison no less than ten
times-remaried to the examiner;
Il never learned thing III my life in
prison TO benefit me outside. The house
of refuge is the worst place boy could
be sent to-"
why so?''
Boys are worse than men: I believe
boys know more mischief than men. In
the house of refuge | learned to sneak
thief. shoplift pick pockets and open a
lock
How did you get an opportunity to
learn all this?"
There's plenty of chance. They learn
it from each other when at play. Rev.
Charles F. Thwing in Harper Magazine.